Coffee Espresso
Espresso is both a brewing method and a style of coffee. It uses pressure to extract flavour quickly, resulting in a small, intense shot with a thick body and rich crema. While espresso is often associated with darker roasts and strong flavour, in specialty coffee it’s treated as a precise brewing technique that can highlight clarity, sweetness, and balance — not just strength.
At Nordic Approach, we source green coffees that perform well across both filter and espresso roast profiles. That means looking for coffees with structure, sweetness, and balance — qualities that can hold up under pressure without becoming bitter or hollow. For espresso roasts, this often means targeting coffees with good density and complexity.
The difference between coffee and espresso is...
Espresso refers to a specific method of preparation, not a type of bean or roast. Any coffee can be brewed as espresso, but the grind size, brew ratio, and pressure are what define it. “Regular coffee” usually refers to filter brews like pour-over or drip, which use gravity rather than pressure.
In terms of flavour, espresso is more concentrated, with more body and intensity. It extracts more oils and suspended solids, which contribute to its heavier mouthfeel.
The origin of espresso
Espresso originated in Italy in the early 20th century, as a fast, efficient way to serve coffee. It quickly became the foundation for many popular drinks like cappuccino, flat white, and latte. Over time, the method evolved, and today’s specialty espresso is the result of precise dialing in, careful roasting, and high-quality green coffee.
In the specialty industry, espresso has moved far beyond its origins. It’s now used to showcase terroir, variety, and processing — just like filter coffee — but with a different expression.
Specialty vs commercial coffee espresso
In commercial coffee, espresso is often roasted very dark, with flavour profiles focused on bitterness, body, and consistency — often masking defects or variation in the green coffee. Blends are optimized for cost, machine tolerance, and milk pairing. Green coffee is typically lower grade, and quality control is based on volume and uniformity, not cup performance.
In specialty coffee, espresso might be a single-origin or a carefully built blend, roasted for sweetness, clarity, and structure. The green coffee is traceable, clean, and often scored above 84 points. The aim is to create an experience where intensity doesn’t come at the cost of flavour or balance.
How Nordic Approach selects for espresso use
We don’t sell espresso beans as a separate category. Instead, we help roasters find coffees that suit their espresso goals — whether that’s a bright, juicy Ethiopian for a modern profile, or a more rounded washed Central American for a classic expression. Coffees with high sweetness, a clean finish, and balanced acidity tend to translate well to espresso. Roasters can then build single origins or blends depending on what their customers want to experience in the cup.